Paul Brushaber@paulfromtheinternet

1)Flow. Flow is the pioneer song of ‘Knuckles.’ It was the first new song and it came together fast, fun, hard, and heavy. Encapsulating and propelling our new energy. I’m feeling that energy, that flow, right now when I think about the future which is a feeling I absolutely do not take for granted. Gazing into 2k19 and turning my volume UP with a lightning bolt on my chest, thanks for so many great shots @anthonyvitocosentino 📸 thank you, everyone, for so much support and LOVE in my life. 💛

2)Trials. You know how friend groups will have stupid things they say that have no meaning but you always say them anyway? One day I started compulsively telling knucks “you are free from the trials that bind you” and that influenced the lyrics and title of this song. I’m in love with my bass tone on this entire album but it really shines in this song, particularly the intro. 😈 📸 @anthonyvitocosentino

3)Dirty Frames. This song was one I wanted to do for a long time before we actually made it happen. Knucks sent me a video of himself playing this song on Christmas one year (probs 2k14) and Ive been getting it stuck in my head ever since. In the beginning I use both my fwonk pedal and distortion pedal at the same time and we’d call it “the trumpet noise” during recording.📸@anthonyvitocosentino

4) Alien Depression. This song and Flow were the first two we started working on. My bassline in this song seems to be ever changing. I’m really happy I doubled the bassline with piano for the recording. I’m pretty sure the talking in the beginning is me saying “I love you back.” 📸 @brainhues

5)Chocolate. 😈😈😈 what’re they sellin’?! 🍫 Chocolate is easily one of my fav tracks on Knuckles. One time, as the song was being written, I took a phone recording at practice and sometimes I’ll title the recordings after just the first random thing someone says on the recording. Knucks randomly said “chocolate” into the mic. The working title worked itself into the lyrics. Another funny gem on this song is from prepro day. At the end of a take knucks yelled “this is not your fucking chocolate, bird” and we thought it was so funny we dug it up and put it on the album for realziez. 🎥 @madeomagic@kaityofsuburbia

6)Waiting Games. Waiting Games was originally recorded for our first album, Wet, by @paparoachrox666 and @therealseanfarrelly and @thydukeofmac with this lineup right here. ⬆️💫⚡️ 🥰 Fun Fact, waiting games is track number six on both ‘Wet’ and ‘Knuckles’. It’s fun strolling down memory lane and listening to both versions. Also from memory lane, this picture from last year at @ryancantwell and @robinrosecantwell wedding. 11•25•17 They are the makers of our music videos for Fluffy, Way Back, and Music Spirits. Btw, I’m playing a pfti set tonight at the meatlocker with @rolandjericlintag on drums. COME THROUGH!

7)’s. We cleverly named this song “‘s” because it’s real name is “7’s” and it’s seventh on the album...so if you number the tracks there’s a little pun worked in. 😝.... it doesn’t always work out. 🤪 We always ‘count’ this one off; “Seven! Seven! Seven!” This song is somehow the stoic noble savior figure of the album. Sometimes we put on opera voices and all sing the last line together. @joewebster_music boosted my bass part in the outro and I loved it so much I started using my fwonk pedal for that part when we play it live. Captured here by the goat 🎥 @kaityofsuburbia at GOATFEST!

9) Shark Attack. You can hear Brad yell “1,2,3!” In the beginning and after the first chorus which he started doing cause I would always fuck it up. 🤓 Knucks has more funny ad-libs; “there’s a fire in here!” I used to do high knees every time we played this song and now I will again. 📸: @mean_joe_photos@drewcobert@elvisandromeda@peewilly0@the_paradigm_journals i don’t remember who actually took this picture but I tagged a bunch of cool ppl we met in Erie, Pennsylvania.

10)Energy. We’ve only played this song live a handful of times. I remember knucks showing me this song very early on though. It’s an OG that we decided to record somewhat last minute. I love keeping the bassline simple and letting the vocals shine on this one. Joe Webster and Kevin Guillorn’s bass tone really shines. 📸 @giovihovimobi

11)bake-n-shake. This is the second to last song on the album and it was second last to be finished writing. I still don’t have an established part for the bridge. To record it we looped it and I just kept taking passes at it till one felt right. That’s one of my only non-‘live’ parts on the album. Knucks has the funniest ad-libs in the bridge. My fav is when he says something like “well idk I came from down south, but I’m from up north...and you got it goin on YA!” 📸 @rebecca.stover

As 2018 comes to an end I reflect on my biggest accomplishment of the year; recording “Knuckles” with jean pool. I’m gonna do a bit of a photo dump and also give some insights to each one of the songs. 📸 @kurrrr 12) fragile bones. We originally, and often still, call this song new vibes. It was the last song completed on the album and has a cool new kind of heavy. I’m really proud of my bassline on this song. This song gets me right in the feels every time when knucks says “I can do anything, anything!”